Mauke: History
According to oral tradition, Mauke was discovered by Uke, and the island was named "Ma'uke" – "the land of Uke" – after him. Uke's descents then went on to settle Atiu. Another legend states a son of Ruatapu was murdered on Mauke, and in retaliation he killed many of the islands inhabitants. The island was dominated by Atiu, whose inhabitants frequently raided it. The first European to sight Mauke was John Williams of the London Missionary Society, in 1823. He left behind a Polynesian preacher, Haavi, to introduce Christianity. The second European visitor was Captain Lord Byron of HMS Blonde in 1825, who named it "Parry Island" in honour of Sir William Edward Parry. In the 1840s an Atiuian expedition attempted to raid the island again, but retreated after hearing that the Maukeans had been supplied with muskets by a European trader. In the 1860s Ngamaru Rongotini Ariki, ariki of Atiu, Mauke and Mitiaro, married Makea Takau Ariki, a Rarotongan ariki. As a result, in 1871 Mauke became part of the Kingdom of Rarotonga.
In 1888 Mauke became a British protectorate as part of the Cook Islands Federation. In 1901 it was annexed by New Zealand.
In 1904, animosity between followers of the London Missionary Society and the newly introduced Roman Catholic church led to the formation of the village of Kimiangatau on Mauke's coast.